


Dear Jealousy

by DarylWillFightNatureForCarol (Befrie08)



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: After A Certain Doom, Drabble, F/M, Jealous Daryl, One Shot, fic request, season 10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:13:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29262543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Befrie08/pseuds/DarylWillFightNatureForCarol
Summary: This is for a fic request on Tumblr.The brief was: Daryl sees Negan and Carol being chummy and gets jealous.So, that's what this fic is.Mild swearing warning for this one.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon & Carol Peletier, Daryl Dixon/Carol Peletier
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Dear Jealousy

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, 
> 
> This is my first ever fic request. Came out better than I thought it would. The title is based on the song by MIKA, 'Dear Jealousy'. It's seriously catchy, so you should check it out. Hope you like this little fic.

Daryl watched from the porch as Carol talked to Negan. His eyes took in everything about the scene. They were standing close together, too close in his opinion. Her posture was far too relaxed to be standing next to someone so widely reviled.

He watched as Negan grinned and reached out a hand to pat Carol on the shoulder. Daryl’s eyes narrowed on that hand until it dropped away again. Carol didn’t even seem bothered by him touching her. She just shook her head with a look of amusement.

It hadn’t escaped Daryl’s notice that they had seemingly become friends. Ever since that last battle against the Whisperers, they had been spending time together. He hated it but it wasn’t like he could tell her to stop talking to him. He and Carol had hardly spoken since that day in the forest for one thing.

It wasn’t for lack of trying though. There just always seemed to be something getting in the way. If it wasn’t some form of repair they needed to handle—the horde had done a number on Alexandria so they had been spending a lot of time rebuilding—then it was the kids needing to be looked after.

Aaron had offered to help with the kids, but Michonne had entrusted them to him specifically. Daryl wasn’t going to betray her trust by shoving the responsibility of Judith and RJ onto someone else. Besides, they liked having him around and he liked being around them.

So, while he was occupied doing his best at being a parent, Carol had found a new friend. Why it had to be Negan, he didn’t know. He watched Carol say something to Negan, making him laugh loudly, tipping his head back. Daryl scoffed. It couldn’t have been that funny. He wouldn’t be surprised if Negan was playing it up for her sake.

He had started to suspect that Negan’s feelings for Carol were more than just friendly. He couldn’t blame the man if that was the case. Carol was amazing and it didn’t surprise him that she continually attracted such attention. Didn’t mean he had to like it, though.

Even when she was with Ezekiel, he had been tormented by the sight of them together. He had hidden it, of course, not wanting her to feel bad because of him. She shouldn’t have to feel guilty just because he harboured hopeless feelings of longing for her.

He wasn’t stupid. He knew there was no way he would ever be good enough for someone like Carol. That’s why he had kept his feelings hidden. There was no point confessing them. It would just make things awkward between them and he valued her friendship enough to be satisfied with that.

He stubbed out the cigarette that had been burning uselessly while he had been watching this spectacle. He’d just wanted a moment of peace, so he’d come out to the porch for a smoke. Apparently, the world thought him having a moment of respite a joke. He stood, abandoning his seat and headed inside.

The inside of the house was silent, letting him know the kids were out. At least that meant he could head to his room and possibly catch a nap until he had to make dinner. He started towards the stairs, eager to make it to the basement before something else came up to torment him.

“Daryl,” he heard from behind him.

He froze and sighed. He slowly turned and took in the sight of Carol standing in the hallway. Of course, it had to be her. The one person he didn’t want to see right now. He was too keyed up. In this state, he was likely to say something stupid or something he didn’t mean.

“Hey,” he mumbled, unable to muster up anything more enthusiastic. A frown creased her brow at his lack-lustre response.

“You okay?” she asked with obvious concern.

“Fine,” he replied. “What’s up?” he asked, hoping she would just tell him what she wanted so he could disappear for a while. 

“Nothing’s ‘up’,” she said, frown deepening. “I just… We haven’t had much time to talk lately.”

Daryl nodded and crossed his arms.

“Been a lot to do,” he responded, pointing out the obvious.

“Yeah,” she said, almost whispering the word. “How are you doing? Looking after the kids, I mean?”

Daryl met her eyes again and shrugged. He had thought it would be more difficult than it was, but honestly, it hadn’t been so bad. Judith didn’t need too much looking after and RJ was well behaved for a kid his age.

“It’s going fine,” he said. “They’re good kids.”

Carol nodded, somewhat awkwardly.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been around to help,” she said. “I kind of needed some time to myself.”

He had been about to tell her that it wasn’t her responsibility to help with the kids, but the second part of her statement stopped him. His hurt that he had been experiencing out on the porch rose up once more and he didn’t mean to do it. He really didn’t, but apparently, he had reached his limit on mental stress. So, he scoffed in reply to her words. He watched her blink in surprise.

“What was that for?” she asked with slightly narrowed eyes.

Part of him told himself to just brush it off and make up some excuse, but the bigger, still-sore part of him urged him on.

“You say you needed time to yourself,” he said with a glare. “Well, it don’t seem like you been alone.”

Carol opened and closed her mouth, looking shocked and confused. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Daryl scoffed again.

“How stupid d’you think I am?” he asked rhetorically. Did she think he hadn’t noticed her chumming it up with Negan? “I know you been hanging around Negan.”

Understanding lit up her eyes and she frowned.

“I haven’t been hanging around him,” she replied. Probably seeing the disbelief on his face, she continued. “I haven’t. Not on purpose at least. He keeps showing up,” she said with a roll of her eyes.

Daryl wasn’t placated by that, though. 

“What, and you ain’t got a mouth that can tell him to fuck off?”

Carol huffed and crossed her arms.

“There’s no need,” she said dismissively. “Negan’s harmless. He just likes to listen to himself talk.”

Daryl hummed and chewed his lip.

“From what I saw earlier, looks like you like listenin’ to him talk too.”

Carol uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on her hips.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” she asked, a spark of anger in her tone. “Are you accusing me of something?”

“You ain’t dumb, Carol,” he growled. “You gotta know he’s into you.”

Carol glared.

“So what if he is? Does mean I automatically am into him too?” she asked with a sarcastic tone. “For that matter, what’s it got to do with you if I was into him?”

Daryl flushed. He felt like he was being scrutinised under a microscope now. He felt silly for even starting this argument. It was just risking exposing how he really felt. He scrambled for a response.

“It… Nothing,” he stammered before shaking his head. “He’s just not good for you,” he muttered, trying to divert her suspicion.

Carol sighed and sad look took hold of her eyes.

“Do you even know me, Daryl?” she asked with a hard set jaw. “Do you really think, after everything, everything he’s done, I could ever feel like that about him?”

Daryl didn’t answer. He didn’t think he could right now. He felt like the biggest idiot in the world. He had let his feelings rule over his head and what he knew. Carol continued when he didn’t reply.

“After he hurt you?” she said and her voice broke a little. “I could never do that.”

Daryl felt tears pricking at his eyes and he had to blink a few times to stop them falling. Why had he doubted her? Carol had been one of the only ones on his and Maggie’s side when they had wanted to kill Negan all those years ago. Daryl had confessed to her about his time at the Sanctuary and she had told him that if she could, she would kill Negan herself for what he had done to him.

“What you’ve seen,” Carol said, having recovered her composure, “Has been me, dealing with his presence because it keeps him away from the others. You know most of them still want him dead and like it or not, Lydia cares about him. So he has to live.”

Daryl nodded. It was true. It didn’t matter much to Daryl—or Carol apparently—that Negan had helped in the battle and had killed Alpha. None of that made up for what he had done to the communities. None of that made up for taking Glenn away from Maggie and Hershel Jr. It was only Lydia’s odd bond with the man that ensured Daryl wouldn’t throw him to the wolves.

“If I had it my way, I _would_ tell him to ‘fuck off’,” Carol said. It made him jump a little to hear her swear. She didn’t do it often and it always sounded odd coming from her. “I’m good at hiding how I feel, but he really is a pain in the ass.”

Daryl couldn’t help laughing. It felt good to hear Carol say that. He didn’t like acknowledging it now but he had honestly thought Carol enjoyed Negan’s presence. He worried momentarily that Carol wouldn’t appreciate his laughter after spewing accusations at her. His worries were apparently unfounded, as she started laughing too.

“You really thought I liked Negan?” she asked, still laughing a little.

Daryl thought about denying it, but it was too late. He’d already given himself away. He ducked his head.

“Yeah, I guess I did,” he admitted shamefully.

Carol nodded and then cocked her head. Her eyes narrowed playfully. 

“You were jealous, weren’t you?”

Daryl scoffed.

“Weren’t jealous,” he denied, which was a lie, of course. He had absolutely been jealous.

Carol’s eyes were still mirthful.

“Of course not,” she agreed with a smirk. 

Daryl sighed and shook his head. He knew he only had himself to blame for her teasing. His face felt on fire from how hard he was blushing. He had acted like a jealous boyfriend or something. What the hell was wrong with him? Too late to take it all back though. At least it had been resolved somewhat positively.

“You know no one can replace you, right?” Carol asked after a beat.

“No?” he replied, chewing his lip, unable to help the vulnerability in his voice.

It had been ten years and he still worried that one day she would figure out she didn’t want him around. There was always a voice inside him telling him he wasn’t even good enough to be her friend. That voice always sounded like one of two people: Merle or his father.

“Never,” she said, shaking her head. She smiled a little. “You’re stuck with me forever, mister.”

Daryl’s mouth lifted into a half-smile. That sounded damn good to him. It didn’t matter in what capacity. As long as she was there, forever didn’t sound too bad.

“Think I can live with that,” he replied, still smiling.

Carol let out a little peal of laughter and moved closer. She went in to embrace him but hesitated. Time was, they could come together like that without a thought, but recent events had put a strain on their relationship. Still, with this conversation, he felt like maybe they could move past it finally.

Ignoring Carol’s hesitation, he enclosed her in his arms. She let out a noise of surprise but then sighed. It sounded contented, he noted happily. She nuzzled her head into his shoulder and his senses were filled with the scent of lilacs. It was a common shampoo that used to be made at Hilltop, but Daryl always associated it with Carol.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I was being a jackass.”

Carol snorted.

“You were,” she replied, her words muffled a bit. “I forgive you, though.”

“Appreciate it,” he replied with a grin.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and let me know what you think.


End file.
